Rams start season 2-0

Published 9:15 pm Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Atmore Christian School Rams’ baseball team is off to a 2-0 start after beating Calvary Christian 12-2 in a five-inning game.

ACS coach Anthony Swartzendruber said he was happy for the solid start.

“I’m tickled,” he said. “It’s a great start for us.”

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The Rams got things started early on offense when Perry Metzler hit a double to get into scoring position in the bottom of the first inning with one out. Christopher Gehman was then walked and a double by Jared Aliff scored Metzler.

During the next at-bat, Wesley Hostetler singled to score Gehman from third and Aliff from second.

The Rams had a 3-0 lead with one out in the bottom of the first.

Hostetler stole second, but ACS racked up its second and third out on strikeouts by Christian Scott and Caleb Hochstetler.

Gehman struck out two Calvary batters and gloved a line drive that was headed back to the mound for three outs in the top of the second inning. Gehman gave up a single and a walk in the half inning.

Charlie Gandy hit a one-out single to get things started in the next half inning. Metzler moved Gandy to second with an infield single and both players were able to score on a double by Gehman to put the Rams up 5-0. Gehman also took third base on a passed ball before Aliff struck out to end the threat.

Gehman retired the Calvary side in order in the top of the third.

Scott hit a two-out infield single in the bottom of the third. He later scored on an error at third base to give ACS a 6-0 lead. Dennis Landis struck out to end the threat.

Gehman walked the leadoff batter in the top of the fourth and allowed him to get second on a balk. He allowed one run and recorded a strikeout before retiring the side to cut the Rams lead to 6-1.

William Swartzendruber got on first on an error at short. He stole second base and took third base on a passed ball before he scored on a Metzler double.

A single by Gehman moved Metzler to third. Gehman stole second base before Aliff reached on another Calvary error that scored Metzler.

Gehman later scored on a throwing error with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Aliff scored on a single by Hostetler to give ACS a 10-1 lead.

Calvary scored on a throwing error in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Rams’ lead to 10-2. Gehman struck out three to retire the side.

The bottom half of the inning started with walks for Nathan Jurjevich and Austin Swatrzendruber. A passed ball from the catcher put Jurjevich on third. William Swartzendruber was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a single by Metzler scored Austin Swartzendruber and Jurjevich.

Anthony Swartzendruber praised his pitcher after the game.

“We did have a good pitching performance,” he said. “He largely threw strikes. He got deep into counts through.”

Swartzendruber also praised the middle of the batting order for getting timely hits.

ACS will play another home game Thursday at 4 p.m. against Evangel Christian School.